Tag Archive for subway superbowl commercial

I’ve got a Happy Success Story for you today, meal ideas, and Sad Stats on our Kids. The sad stuff first, so we can get that out of the way:

All chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and weight issues are on the rise, with no end insight (according to CDC predictions). That means our children, who right now might be thin and active, will eventually become evenheavier and more unhealthy than we are. Studies show they’ll live shorter lives too. Did you know that Fast Food companies are spending 5 Million dollars A DAY to advertise to our kids? That the food and beverage industry spends more than 2 BILLION a yearmarketing TO OUR CHILDREN? That the average American kid sees more than 4,000 food commercials a year? That the average American kid doesn’t eat any vegetables outside of ketchup and french fries?

Some advertising is blatant, and some is very subtle, like when professional athletes promote crappy food to our kids, a la Subway’s SuperBowl commercial last night: Michael Phelps, Apollo Ohno, and more Olympians promoting the new Frito’s Chicken Enchilada Melt. OMGosh. Frito’s smushed in a sandwich! Subway’s done a good job of insinuating that they’re a fairly healthy choice (eat fresh, Jared, blah blah blah). It’s not. It’s a giant bunch of chemicals put together to look like Real Food. It’s not even close. Please, please, look at the ingredient lists I just highlighted.

I often get asked questions like: what is Real Whole Food, and what else is there besides pasta/bread/cereal for kids. I’m going to post some picture ideas this week of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, including dinner this past Saturday in a hotel (again), that we shared with our daughter Macy.

Keep reading, because after the pictures is the “good” news – another Success Story!

This is Shelby’s breakfast most mornings lately ( she’s my last one still at home, 11th grade). Turkey bacon, one egg plus egg yolk ( I always have extra yolks because I make a lot of macaroons).

To the right is a typical lunch for her: turkey/cheese roll-up in the aluminum foil, 2 clemmies, a big bag of nuts/dark chocolate/seeds/dried cranberries, and a macaroon.

Back to the left here is one of my lunches, a tin of sardines, parsley, salt/pepper, and sea kelp flakes ( iodine!), a macaroon, 2 carrots, and some pumpkin seeds.

Now for the Success Story, and when you read it, look at it from the angle that food makes or breaks us. It matters what we put in our mouth. Feeling tired, feeling depressed, feeling bloated and bad, it’s not normal. Food and lifestyle changes can fix these issues!

For the past 15 years, I would have considered myself a healthy eater. I’ve always been very ‘food’ conscious…and weight conscious. However I also have felt there was something missing in my ‘healthy’ diet. It left me never feeling quiet full and satisfied. As I got older, I was often drained and run down. I also have always experienced huge fluctuations in my blood sugar level-which often left me in a not so chipper mood! In May 2013, Debbie put forth a challenge of eating better, cleaner and less processed. I had to completely change the way I thought about fats and grains. I had to stop the mentality that I needed carbs (bread, grains, rice, etc.) for running and working out. What seemed difficult (even impossible) at first, has now become a way of life. A way of life I do not see myself ever changing. Within 2 weeks of the challenge I felt like a different person. I had so much more energy and a new zest for life. The addition of healthy fats has made brain function much more efficient. I was so excited about this new way of eating, I wanted to learn more about what was making me feel so nourished and ‘normal’. I took several classes from Debbie on digestion and read everything I could about eating grain and processed free food. It is truly amazing to see the difference in my life. Everyone in my family has noticed this change (and are joining in to the life of cleaner eating). I now eat primarily whole foods and have a new love of cooking. I’m excited to cook b/c I know what I prepare is going to make my family and myself feel good and nourished. I can easily run and exercise after a carbohydrate free breakfast. I NEVER crave bread, chips or crackers. It just doesn’t taste good to me anymore. My body now craves the food that makes me feel good…whole real foods!